


Step With Me

by charles_the_rocknroller



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, M/M, New Years, New Years kiss, Post-Seine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:54:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28497156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charles_the_rocknroller/pseuds/charles_the_rocknroller
Summary: Valjean and Javert go to a party and end up having a better time than either expected.
Relationships: Javert/Jean Valjean
Kudos: 16





	Step With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Was listening to “Step With Me” by Mika, and it reminded me of them. Except for the marriage part.

“Papa, you should come to the party! It will be fun! You can bring Monsieur Javert if you wish!”  
Valjean was not much for parties, but Cosette was so excited that he couldn’t disappoint her. Javert had encouraged Valjean’s attendance— “You never go anywhere, Jean, it will be good for you—“ until his name was mentioned. But Valjean agreed to go only if Javert would, so that’s how they ended up at a New Year’s party surrounded by Marius’ friends and other members of the community that neither felt comfortable interacting with.  
Both floated through the crowd for a couple hours, grazing on the snacks and drinks, making conversation with the slightly-inebriated attendees who passed by. Eventually, Valjean wandered to the edges and into an empty room, save for one other person who was studying the painting hanging in the wall. Muffled music could be heard as he approached the other person, and, realising it was Javert, he immediately relaxed.  
“Having fun?” Valjean asked, startling the inspector.  
“Heavens, no! This is not my sort of thing, Jean, how in the world did you convince me to come?” Javert hissed. “I mean, the food and wine is fine, but all of these idiot kids with their silly-“ he raised the pitch of his voice- “‘what’s your New Years resolution? aren’t you excited? who are you gonna kiss at midnight?’ is driving me crazy!”  
Valjean laughed as Javert huffed loudly. “I am sorry for forcing you to come, Javert, but please, enjoy yourself. Drink some more wine, take the edge off,” Valjean said, still smiling. Javert just grumbled as he finished his- third? fourth?- glass of the night. He slammed it on a nearby table as the band started another song.  
“Enjoy myself. By doing what, dancing?” Javert asked.  
“Why not?” Valjean replied. “Dance with me,” he continued, feeling his ears go red. Javert looked at him, surprised.  
“I’m not sure I can,” Javert confessed, “as I have never danced with anyone since, well, since I was a child, with my mother. I can’t remember how.”  
Valjean stepped closer, offering his hand. “That’s okay,” he said quietly. “I will lead, just follow my steps.”  
Javert looked at Valjean’s calloused hand, hesitating. He searched Valjean’s face for any sign of mockery, but found only some form of tender seriousness there. He finally stepped forward, grabbing Valjean’s outstretched hand and placing his other on the older man’s shoulder.  
It was awkward at first, with Javert watching his feet as Valjean led them through the waltz, but he never stepped on the other’s foot. Valjean waltzed them throughout the room, noticing how quickly Javert caught on. Javert looked up at some point, catching Valjean’s eye, and blushed.  
How did they end up like this? Two old men who should be enemies, dancing together, blushing and on the verge of giggling like schoolgirls at their own silliness. They could blame it on the alcohol, but both knew how close they had become in the months following the failed revolution. Valjean had saved Javert, even if he didn’t want to be saved. For the first time since the river, Javert realised, he was grateful that Valjean had found him. If he hadn’t, they wouldn’t be there, together, dancing into another song, smiling and giggling.  
The next song they danced to was slower, so Valjean pulled Javert closer. Javert was suddenly hyper-aware of the other man’s hand on his waist. It didn’t take him as long to get the groove of the slower song, and he had no need to look at his feet, so he studied the shorter man’s face, committing all of it to memory. Javert was certain they would never be in this situation again, until he met Valjean’s gaze again and neither looked away.  
The song was almost over, and they could hear the students counting down from ten. Valjean dipped Javert just in time as the music’s ending, just in time for the clocks to chime midnight, and just in time to plant a long-overdo kiss on Javert’s lips, both melting into the other as shouting announced a new year.


End file.
